Unlikely Kindness
by Enelya Elendil
Summary: Sokka is walking through a forest alone when he finds a wounded fire nation princess...what will he do? Possible Sokkla in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avatar or the characters in this story.

This is set between the second and third seasons and has a Sokkla pairing. As for where the woods are….I don't really know. The thought for this fic just came to me.

**Unlikely Kindness**

"Sokka, we'll meet up tomorrow afternoon at the river village. It's only about ten miles from here….are you sure you want to do this?"

"Katara, you worry too much. I'll be fine. Anyway, I just get in the way where you and Toph are teaching Aang to bend. This way if we come through here again without Appa then I can show you how to get through. OK?"

With a sigh in defeat Katara looked at her brother, "I guess…..but please be careful." After giving her brother a hug she climbed up on Appa and waved as he took off.

Taking a deep breath Sokka turned toward the forest and began his journey.

That evening Sokka sent up camp not far from the village. But since he wasn't going to meet up with the gang until the next afternoon he decided to take it slow and enjoy the hike.

After setting up his camp and starting a small fire Sokka went to collect some more fire wood. As he walked through the trees with the setting sun's light drifting through the leafy canopy he stopped. Taking in a deep breath he closed his eyes and sighed in contentment.

Suddenly a twig snapped near by. Instinctively the warrior had his boomerang in his hand in a flash. His whole body was ready for whatever was coming, weather it be animal or enemy. Something moved in the bushes to his left, it was big. Slowly he approached the bush and with a steady hand he lifted the branches and his breath caught in his throat.

Lying on the ground was a girl who had apparently dragged herself here and was barely breathing. There was blood on her clothes and it had stained the ground around her close to black. Though the stains on her clothes were hardly noticeable seeing that they were red already; she was fire nation.

Gasping Sokka realized who lay bleeding to death on the ground at his feet."Azula." Sokka whispered gaining a minor moan from the princess.

Sokka was tempted to turn around and leave the princess to her death, but in the end his moral compass took over and he carefully knelt down next to her to make sure that she could be moved.

Back at his camp Sokka built a fire and boiled some water to cleanse the strips of cloth he had made to clean and dress her injuries.

As he began to clean her wounds Sokka realized how badly she was hurt, and that most of her wounds were burns.

_H__ow did she get these, she's royalty? Who would dare to harm her...to kill her? _Sokka thought as he finished binding her leg.

When he moved to examine her shoulders he found that the burns spread to her back. In fact there were burns or bruises covering her entire back.

Sokka gently rolled Azula over on her stomach, which surprisingly had no burns on it, and took out his knife. Carefully he began cut away the tattered fabric that lay plastered to her back.

Sighing Sokka started to sponge away the mud and inspect her blistering skin. After removing all of the dirt, he applied an ointment that his sister had given him. He kept his hand steady and put as little pressure as he could but he could still feel her muscles flinch each time he passed over an open burn.

After coating her back with the cream Sokka grabbed the rest of the bandages and went to cover her back when she moaned and started to move around. He quickly took hold of her arm and quietly said, "Please be still your highness, I still need to cover the wounds on your back."

With another moan the princess was still again.

_She must be drugged. No one could ever take __**this**__ much pain and stay asleep otherwise._ He was thinking to himself when suddenly it dawned on him; if he was going to cover her back with bandages he was going to have to go _**all **_the way around her.

Blushing fiercely Sokka rolled the unconscious girl on to her side and started wrapping the cloth around her trying not to look as much as possible.

Late that night Azula woke with a start and tried to sit but was stopped by a burning fire that erupted all over her back. Gasping she laid back down and looked around at where she was. After noticing the bandages all over her body and the small dying fire beside her she saw sleeping body across from her.

The one person that she would have never even dreamed of seeing, Sokka, that water tribe boy that she had tricked into giving her information.

_Was he the one who took care of me? He must have been. No one else is here…but what does he want…and how much does he know? _ Azula thought as she watched his chest rise and fall in sleep.

_If he wanted me dead, he would have done it already…it doesn't matter though I can't get away; at least not yet. I'll have to worry about it tomorrow._ With that final thought unconsciousness took her again.

**Author's Note:** What do you think? Should I write another chapter? Please let me know in your review! (It's that little blueish purple button down at the bottom left of the page, in case you didn't know. Lol)


	2. Chapter 2

**Remembering**

She could smell blood, her blood. People were talking about what to do with her when someone walked into the room that caused them to fall silent.

"Where is the child?" a male voice said.

The girl knew that voice; it was Fire Lord Ozai…her father.

"What are we to do with her sire?" One of the guards asked quietly. "After all she did…"

"Silence; she is awake. Bring her to my chamber I wish to speak with her alone." The Fire Lord said.

Suddenly her blindfold was removed and Azula was able to see surroundings. The Fire Lord had left the dungeon of the palace where she was chained to the wall. When the shackles keeping her hands above her head were loosened Azula crumbled into an awkward heap on the floor. Laughter filled the room as the two guards looked at the fallen Fire Princess lying on the floor.

One of the guards forcefully grabbed Azula and stood her up as the other took and towel are began to rub of some of the blood on her.

"We don't want your _dirty_ blood to contaminate the palace _Azula_." The guard said. Closing her eyes Azula gritted her teeth and willed away the pain as the two guards' laughter enveloped her. When she opened her eyes she was kneeling before her father and the guards were no where to be seen though their laughter still haunted her.

The Fire Lord's chamber was large, and dark. In the center of the room of the room was a bed that was draped in blood red and black fabric. At the left end of the room was a large fireplace that was the only light making every shadow darker and each red bloodier. Ozai stood in front of the fireplace with his back to her. He did turn around as he began to speak.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Her father asked.

"I was framed. Long Feng was angry because I overthrew him I had no intention of keeping control of Ba Sing Se after…" she said attempting to be calm but she couldn't keep the desperation out of her voice.

"I have heard enough." He said as he turned and came to stand directly in front of her. Looking down at her with a cold look in his eyes he said, "I, Fire Lord Ozai, here by banish you, Azula Princess of the Fire Nation, for now and forever more on the ground of high treason and attempted mutiny." She closed her eyes as the words resounded in her ears….

Azula awoke with a start but found that she couldn't move; someone was holding her arm to keep her lying down.

"Lay still your highness; your wounds might open up if you move to abruptly." A voice said. Looking to her left Azula saw the water tribe boy sitting next to her with his hand on her right arm holding her, gently, in place.

Sokka smiled at the confused looking girl and slowly released her arm as she stilled.

"You don't have to call me that."

"What don't I have to call you?" He said as he slowly looked over her bruises and cuts that he hadn't bandaged.

"Your highness, you don't have to call me 'your highness'." She stated looking away from him to the trees above.

"Uh…I don't mean to….offend you or anything but…isn't that…you know, your title?" Sokka asked puzzled.

"Not anymore."

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I'm sorry for the cliffhanger and the length I will update again soon and it will be longer I promise. Please let me know what you think with your review.

If anyone has an idea about where they think that I should go with this you can go to my profile and PM me your ideas.


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